


100 Year Pain Day

by IvaliceForever



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt!Ardyn, M/M, Parent Ardyn Izunia, Parent Cor Leonis, Somnus is Not a Dick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-02-26 17:22:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23571619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IvaliceForever/pseuds/IvaliceForever
Summary: Every 100 years, on the day of his birth since becoming the Starscourge's host Ardyn suffers a peculiar sort of fever. Cor tries to take care of his Ass Hat husband.
Relationships: Ardyn Izunia & Somnus Lucis Caelum, Ardyn Izunia/Cor Leonis, Prompto Argentum & Ardyn Izunia, Prompto Argentum & Cor Leonis
Comments: 11
Kudos: 15





	100 Year Pain Day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheDarkestDandelion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDarkestDandelion/gifts).

> This universe does not belong to me but I am blessed to have played around with it. This is my first Cordyn ficlet in ages and I am ever indebted to @TheDarkestDandelion for keeping my love of this ship alive. I really hope you enjoy what I came up with hon.

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy XV is the property of Square Enix. This universe was written out by TheDarkestDandelion. I am simply here to share a thought that would not leave. I hope this story at minimum engages the reader.

* * *

Cor gazed down at his husband with soft worry. Ardyn was feverish, something that rarely happened if ever. Even the doctors weren’t entirely sure what was wrong with him. One moment he was trying to find his brother and the next he had screamed bloody murder, arms wrapped around his body as he collapsed in the middle of the hall leading to the Founder King’s quarters. Tears had streamed down his eyes as they changed from daemonic amber to a beautiful greenish-blue, body trapped in a now silent scream until he passed out.

“Do you know what happened to him, Somnus?”

“This only happens every 100 years or so. I never tried to help him through it. Every 100 years on the day April gives way to May—Ardyn’s birthday, his soul is connected back to his body and the daemons are temporarily purged only to come back. During that time Ardyn is usually bed-ridden, and severe pain, and loses control over his Armiger. All you can really do is stay with him, remind him he is loved and that the pain will end one day.” Somnus answered, heart tight with guilt. Guilt that his solution had been isolating Ardyn from even the staff.

“Is that really all I can do? There has to be some way to at least bring the fever down.”

“I never spent this time with him admittedly. The only time I had to intervene was because his Armiger flew so out of control that he absolutely destroyed his rooms. I suppose you could try having him soak in cool water. Ardyn was the healer not I.” Somnus replied, surprising himself when he actually felt for his brother’s pulse. It was slow, just as his breathing was shallow. Instead of pulling away from him, Ardyn leaned into the contact and gazed up at him with exhausted eyes—very human eyes.

“Som…don’t tell Prompto. Don’t want him to see me like this.”

“Brother, your son is old enough to know that adults fall ill too. I think he deserves to know you’re out of sorts so he can help Cor take care of you just as you two have cared for him since Cor absconded with him from Niflheim’s clutches. Let them take care of you. I’m sorry that not once these long years have I tried to help you on this day.” Somnus answered, pushing auburn hair from his brother’s face and frowning at the warmth. Something was different about this time. Usually only Ardyn’s eyes returned to their original color, yet here his hair had lost that unearthly violet tint.

“Wait until after he’s done with his photography class?”

“I called him while you were out cold but I did tell him to finish with his classes before he comes to check on you. Regis doesn’t want you leaving the Citadel until the fever breaks. Now, let’s get you cooled down Asshat.” Cor cut in, lifting Ardyn from the bed and nodding as Somnus left them to it.

** ~ **

Cor couldn’t help staring at his husband even as he lowered him into the cool water, unused to how motionless the older man was. Ardyn was rarely ever still, even when he was serious at least a finger was twitching.

“Cor, I know you find me alluring but the staring is starting to get a little uncomfortable.” Ardyn said, a still tired but flirty smile on his face as he almost lazily looked at Cor over the rim of the tub.

“Hard not to stare. Is this what you look like without daemonic influence ravaging your body? It’s an interesting change. I love you regardless but it is kind of interesting how different you look.”

“I haven’t seen my own face since I woke up Cor. Why aren’t you in here with me?” Ardyn answered, reaching a wet hand out to grab onto Cor’s knee from where he was seated on a tall stool.

“First of all, you’re fighting a fever right now and can barely lift your arm. This tub isn’t like the one at home, it can’t comfortably accommodate two fully grown men. Feel a little better?”

“A bit. Everything still hurts. It’ll get worse tonight…when their presence resurges back into my body. That’ll be when my Armiger unleashes itself, always when they come back.” Ardyn didn’t notice he was shaking or tearing up with preemptive fear but Cor did and gently sat him up so he could wrap his arms around his husband. Life had thrown so much shit at Ardyn and Cor wished he had been alive back then to be someone in Ardyn’s corner.

** ~ **

“Dad!” Prompto was worried when he arrived at the Citadel to check on his parents, even Cerbie had been cleared to enter to check on Ardyn. The blond tried not to cry, seeing the cloud of pain in his dad’s eyes.

“Hello my Sunbeam. If you feel the need to cry I shan’t judge you. Holding it in isn’t always easy or the best thing to do.”

“I know, but crying won’t help you get better. I know! I can make tea and soup. Would that help at all? Ignis taught me to make soup without destroying the kitchen.” Prompto answered, sitting on the edge of the bed. Cerbie climbed up onto the bed resting across Ardyn’s legs and none of them argued.

~

While Prompto was busy making soothing treats, Somnus entered the room with an ancient looking book in his hands. The book was well-preserved but unchanged would be nearer the mark. Ardyn recognized it instantly and groaned.

“Truly Somnus? I’m lying in bed feeling every injury I’ve ever obtained and burning from the inside out and you want to read aloud stories I wrote as a child?”

“Says the man who wrote them for a sick younger brother.” Somnus countered, pulling up a chair. Cor was admittedly interested in these tales. Then Somnus read the first line.

“In a tree above ground, there lived a dragon.”

Ardyn tried to decapitate his brother with his pillow. Cor didn’t stop him. Prompto asked to hear _more_ once he returned with tea and soup.

** ~ **

“How is my uncle faring Cor?”

“The pain finally died down to only more recent hurts and the fever is lower. Ardyn is getting nervous though because the worse pain is when the Starscourge returns to his body. I had to promise him I wouldn’t let Noct or Prompto be in the room after eight in case he starts flinging Royal Arms everywhere. Did you know about this Regis?” Cor wasn’t sure what was and was not told to the heirs about Ardyn.

“No, but I did find it mentioned in one of my father’s books. The last King to witness it was my direct grandfather who opted to remain with Ardyn at the time. The loss of control is a direct result of the daemons returning to Ardyn’s body. If you intend to remain in the room with him Cor, at least let me craft a barrier spell. If Ardyn hurt you even on accident—well, you remember the last time that happened now don’t you?”

Regis wasn’t wrong. Ardyn had not taken that well at all and the last thing he wanted was to let Cid have a reason to terrify his husband again as a result of another accident. Things just could not be simple for them could it?

“Alright, I’ll give you that.”

** ~ **

Cor didn’t realized he’d started dozing off until he heard Ardyn’s pained scream and the sound of shattering glass just outside his barrier in the corner. Ice blue eyes snapped open in time to see the maroon outlined weapons swirling rapidly around Ardyn as he writhed on the bed, back arched off mattress as black ichor ran down his cheeks and his eyes morphed gold and glowed bright. As much as Cor wished to run forward and hold his agonized husband, he knew he needed to let the transformation finish.

Ten minutes of excruciating pain and Ardyn was a sobbing mess on the bed, energy spent and the Armiger returning to the ether. Barrier dropped, Cor ran forward and gently pulled Ardyn up and slide behind him to hold him against his chest. Prompto slipped into the room when the screaming had ended and curled up in front of Ardyn, the pair effectively sandwiching him.

“It’s over dad. Hugs helping?”

“Always…Sunbeam. Always.” Ardyn said, tired and still sore all over. Even the daemons in his head were seeming to test if their host was okay. It was disconcerting to say the least.

Ardyn was not thankful for many things, least of all from the Six. However, he was silently thankful that when this prophecy business was over…he’d never have to go through another 100 year annual pain fest.

**~**

Somnus watched his brother being held by his loved ones and fingered the object in his pocket. Another reason to change the prophecy and stick it to Bahamut: never again would his brother have to suffer on the one day of the year he should never be forced to feel such agony. Never again would his family have to suffer for crimes that were never their own. Just a little while longer and he would protect The Healer and The Chosen from fates they never asked for.


End file.
